03/29/17

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Boy's controversial TSA pat-down sheds light on disorder

Sensory processing disorder, or SPD, involves hypersensitivity to sound, sight, and touch – even a light touch can feel like “a profoundly itchy sweater times 100”

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/boys-controversial-tsa-pat-down-spd-sensory-processing-disorder/

In the battle against opioids, one city blames drug makers

Everett, Washington, is suing Purdue Pharma for "recklessly" supplying OxyContin to "suspicious" physicians and pharmacies

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/everett-washington-battleground-of-the-opioid-crisis-tries-to-curb-narcotic-painkillers/

How Businesses Are Welcoming Children With Autism

These sensory-friendly events let kids with special needs take part in all the family fun.

From: http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/features/sensory-friendly-events-for-children-with-autism?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Breast Cancer Radiation May Be Risky for Smokers

Long-term chances of heart attack, lung cancer higher for women who light up, study finds

From: http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20170329/smokers-may-be-prone-to-risks-from-breast-cancer-radiation-therapy?src=RSS_PUBLIC

After boy's controversial TSA pat-down, a look at SPD

How Businesses Are Welcoming Children With Autism

These sensory-friendly events let kids with special needs take part in all the family fun.

From: http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/features/sensory-friendly-events-for-children-with-autism?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Breast Cancer Radiation May Be Risky for Smokers

Long-term chances of heart attack, lung cancer higher for women who light up, study finds

From: http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20170329/smokers-may-be-prone-to-risks-from-breast-cancer-radiation-therapy?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Link Title Field: How to Build Interactive Articles in D2

how to build interactive articles

From: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/how-to-build-interactive-articles?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Shrimp-apple salad

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/shrimpapple-salad/rcp-20049820

Recipe: Fresh tomato soup with crispy herb toasts

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/fresh-tomato-soup-with-crispy-herb-toasts/rcp-20049891

Easy pizza for two

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/pan-pizza-for-two/rcp-20049821

Shrimp marinated in lime juice and Dijon mustard

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/shrimp-marinated-in-lime-juice-and-dijon-mustard/rcp-20049819

Seasoned baked cod

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/seasoned-baked-cod/rcp-20049818

Acetaminophen and children: Why dose matters

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/acetaminophen/art-20046721

Recipe: Rustic apple-cranberry tart

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/rustic-applecranberry-tart/rcp-20049816

Early-onset Alzheimer's: When symptoms begin before age 65

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/in-depth/alzheimers/art-20048356

Recipe: Curried carrot soup

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/curried-carrot-soup/rcp-20049895

Recipe: Roasted red pepper with feta salad

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/roasted-red-pepper-with-feta-salad/rcp-20049815

Recipe: Sauteed fresh corn

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/sauteed-fresh-corn/rcp-20049817

Recipe: Potato soup with apples and Brie

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/potato-soup-with-apples-and-brie-cheese/rcp-20049813

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/tests-procedures/electroconvulsive-therapy/basics/definition/prc-20014161

Recipe: Potato-fennel soup

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/potatofennel-soup/rcp-20049814

Brain tech helps paralyzed man move again

Eight years after he was paralyzed from the neck down, a man is able to move his hand and arm with the help of an experimental brain implant system. CBS News' Kenneth Craig has details.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/brain-tech-helps-paralyzed-man-move-again/

Heroin Epidemic Expands Its Grip on America

Use of the narcotic grew 5-fold in a decade, helped by scourge of prescription painkiller abuse

From: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20170329/heroin-epidemic-expands-its-grip-on-america?src=RSS_PUBLIC

New MS Drug Approved by FDA

The FDA has approved a new medication that is the first to treat PPMS, a rare form of multiple sclerosis.

From: http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/news/20170329/new-ms-drug-approved-by-fda?src=RSS_PUBLIC

WHO Launches Global Effort to Halve Medication-Related Errors in 5 Years

WHO today launched a global initiative to reduce severe, avoidable medication-associated harm in all countries by 50% over the next 5 years.

From: http://www.who.int/entity/mediacentre/news/releases/2017/medication-related-errors/en/index.html

Shrimp-apple salad

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/shrimpapple-salad/rcp-20049820

Recipe: Fresh tomato soup with crispy herb toasts

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/fresh-tomato-soup-with-crispy-herb-toasts/rcp-20049891

Easy pizza for two

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/pan-pizza-for-two/rcp-20049821

Shrimp marinated in lime juice and Dijon mustard

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/shrimp-marinated-in-lime-juice-and-dijon-mustard/rcp-20049819

Seasoned baked cod

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/seasoned-baked-cod/rcp-20049818

Acetaminophen and children: Why dose matters

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/acetaminophen/art-20046721

Recipe: Rustic apple-cranberry tart

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/rustic-applecranberry-tart/rcp-20049816

Early-onset Alzheimer's: When symptoms begin before age 65

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/in-depth/alzheimers/art-20048356

Recipe: Curried carrot soup

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/curried-carrot-soup/rcp-20049895

Recipe: Roasted red pepper with feta salad

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/roasted-red-pepper-with-feta-salad/rcp-20049815

Recipe: Sauteed fresh corn

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/sauteed-fresh-corn/rcp-20049817

Recipe: Potato soup with apples and Brie

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/potato-soup-with-apples-and-brie-cheese/rcp-20049813

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/electroconvulsive-therapy/basics/definition/prc-20014161

Recipe: Potato-fennel soup

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/recipes/potatofennel-soup/rcp-20049814

Vitamin D and cancer risk: New study raises doubts

In clinical trial, women took triple the daily recommended dose of vitamin D to see if it would help ward off cancer

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/vitamin-d-supplements-cancer-risk-in-older-women/

Knee Replacement Doesn't Always Pay: Researchers

Less pain to begin with, less gain from the procedure, but more benefit seen in those with severe arthritis

From: http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/knee-pain/news/20170328/knee-replacement-doesnt-always-pay-researchers-say?src=RSS_PUBLIC

More Older Women Hitting the Bottle Hard

Study found dramatic jump in binge drinking in this vulnerable group

From: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20170328/more-older-women-hitting-the-bottle-hard?src=RSS_PUBLIC

New Eczema Drug Gets FDA's Blessing

Injections may ease itchiness, redness in patients who don't get relief with topical creams, agency says

From: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/eczema/news/20170328/new-eczema-drug-gets-fdas-blessing?src=RSS_PUBLIC

More older women are drinking hard

Binge drinking in baby boomers, especially women, is on the rise, study finds

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/more-older-women-baby-boomers-binge-drinking/

Our planet, ourselves: Climate change and health

Follow me on Twitter @Peter_Grinspoon

At first glance, the climate change and personal health may not seem related. One is a global political and environmental concern while the other deals ultimately with an individual’s wellbeing. However, climate change is already directly affecting human health in many parts of our world, including many areas of the United States. We are just beginning to understand, and to witness, the health effects of climate change.

The problem with a warmer planet

As human-made carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere increase, we create a “greenhouse effect,” and our world warms. The three hottest years ever recorded in the United States were 2012, 2015, and 2016. As the temperatures rise, arctic ice sheets start to melt, and ocean levels rise. We’ve already seen coastal flooding in many parts of the world. Flooding leads to homelessness, dislocation, the spread of infectious diseases, poverty, and psychological trauma. Just think about the catastrophic flooding after Hurricane Katrina. Local healthcare resources were compromised and quickly overtaxed. Many of the neighborhoods in New Orleans are still trying to recover more than a decade later.

As our earth warms, weather patterns become unstable, and violent storms become more frequent, as do droughts, heat waves, and forest fires. Super Storm Sandy, in 2012, killed hundreds of people and cost tens of billions of dollars in property damage. Scientists warn that with climate change, such unusual storms are certain to become more frequent and more severe. Less affluent people, and impoverished nations are affected disproportionately.

Droughts can cripple farming and food production, which leads to poverty, malnutrition, and starvation. As a result, increasingly, we are seeing environmental refugees. This, in turn, increases armed conflict and political instability, both of which are disastrous for human health. Areas that are expected to see worsening droughts are southern Africa, southern Asia, the Middle East, and the American Southwest. More carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases acidity in ocean waters, which is damaging to marine life and affects fresh water fisheries as well.

Climate change and infectious diseases

As our climate changes, the patterns and territories of infectious diseases can be dramatically altered, straining the ability of healthcare systems and governments to contain them. Diseases affected by climate change include those carried by animals and insects — for example, tularemia, plague, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, West Nile virus, and Lyme disease. Others include Zika and dengue. Waterborne infections (for example cholera and other gastrointestinal infections) may become more common. Truly clean water may be harder to come by.

What to do?

Fortunately, almost all scientists agree that we need to aggressively counter climate change, and most governments of the world are dedicated to doing their part. Last year, 196 countries signed the Paris Agreement, which commits signatories to work toward keeping temperatures from rising more than two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). This would at least prevent many of the worst-case scenarios of a “run-away greenhouse effect,” which would threaten human life on earth, and allow us more time to adapt to these changes.

Taking action to reduce your “carbon footprint” directly benefits your health as well as that of the planet. For example, walking or biking instead of driving avoids burning fossil fuels, provides exercise, and helps maintain a healthy weight. Eating less red meat is linked with a lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Growing and consuming produce locally can produce a great sense of community and lead to eating lots of healthy and delicious vegetables. Using renewable energy, and thus creating less air pollution, will result in fewer cases of asthma and lung cancer.

Far from being separate issues, climate change and human health are two sides of the same coin. It is impossible to separate having a healthy body from having a healthy planet. Environmental health is human health.

The post Our planet, ourselves: Climate change and health appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Peter Grinspoon, M.D. http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/planet-climate-change-health-2017032911481